Pilot killed in plane crash at Porterville airport identified

The pilot of a private plane killed in a crash at the Porterville Municipal Airport on Monday afternoon has been identified as a leader at the Fresno-based California Air National Guard base.

According to the 144th Fighter Wing, the pilot was identified as Lt. Col. Billy “Taz” Sullivan.

He was flying a personal plane Monday. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the single-engine Vans RV-6A crashed around 2:20 p.m., shortly after taking off.

Officials said Sullivan, the only person in the plane, was trying to return to the airport when the crash occurred.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigate what led to the crash.

This story was originally published June 7, 2021 at 4:51 PM.